American expat My Mate Nate and his Thai video co-star were fined THB5,000 (not quite USD100) each for their latest YouTube stunt, in which they taped foreign coins onto a rail track for a train to flatten.
Yesterday, Nate Bartling, 24, and Nat Veerothai, 22, reported to the Prawet police and accepted charges for trespassing on land belonging to the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), damaging its property, and placing obstructions on a transportation route.
Bartling, a controversial expat that has inspired a petition to see him booted from the country, still has one animal cruelty charge pending, for filming his two cats fighting with a scorpion on his YouTube channel.
The YouTuber denied abusing his cats, while the police continue to investigate the case. If found guilty, Bartling could face up to two years in prison and a THB40,000 fine.
The recent offense committed against the SRT has caused Immigration to inspect his papers. Despite saying in a press conference that he is about to receive his work permit, records show that he has never applied for one, despite the fact he has been filming videos in Thailand and profiting from YouTube for years.
According to Waranon Pitiwan, Deputy-Director of Labor Department, the foreigner is working in Thailand illegally, but he won’t be prosecuted due to the amnesty that just went into effect. The amnesty, which will expire Jan. 1, was introduced to allow employers time to register their foreign workers.
This means My Mate Nate still has time to apply for a work permit, and will be let off the hook.
However, Waranon told Morning News that it is not guaranteed the foreigner will be granted a work permit, officials can refuse his application due to his misbehavior.
